He killed his girlfriend, then tried to cover it up by burning his van on I-75, cops say

A Hillsborough County man has been charged with murder after investigators said he set a fire to cover up his girlfriend’s death on her birthday.

Deputies with the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office were called to a vehicle fire in on Interstate 75 in Osprey around 6 a.m. on Oct. 15. When they arrived, 34-year-old Kristen Kelley, of Riverview, was found dead inside the burned minivan.

Her body was found between the third row of seats and the rear lift gate of the van.

An autopsy determined Kelley died from blunt force trauma before the fire, according to the probable cause affidavit. The manner of death was ruled homicide.

Kelley’s long-time boyfriend and the father of their three children, Michael Clark, was at the scene of the vehicle fire. He owned the 2012 Chrysler Town and Country minivan that was destroyed by the flames.

Investigators found lacerations and swelling on his knuckles as well as blood on his pants that was later determined to be Kelley’s, according to the affidavit.

When authorities spoke to Clark, 34, about the vehicle fire, he said he did not know how the fire started, how Kelley died or how he got to Sarasota.

A Fire Marshal’s report found the fire in the minivan had been intentionally set and detectives believe Clark set the blaze to destroy evidence of Kelley’s death, according to the affidavit. A gas can was found inside the van and a lighter found nearby.

Officials noted in the affidavit that there was evidence Kelley was beaten to death before she was placed in the van.

Clark was charged with murder, arson, and tampering with evidence. He was arrested Thursday after authorities executed a search warrant at his home in Hillsborough County.

Detectives found Kelley drove to work at the Comfort Craft Cafe in Valrico on Oct. 14, and Clark drove his minivan to meet her there.

Just before midnight, Clark and Kelley were seen at a billiards hall next door to Kelley’s work. Around 2:19 a.m. Oct. 15, the couple was spotted having an argument in outside the billiards business, according to the affidavit.

A few minutes later, Kelley pushed Clark away and at 2:46 a.m., witnesses reported seeing Clark put Kelley in a headlock. The couple was seen leaving in Clark’s minivan at 3:20 a.m.

Investigators said Clark’s van was spotted near his mother’s home around 4 a.m. and 40 minutes later, it was seen driving west towards Interstate 75 passing a car wash on West Bloomingdale Avenue in Brandon.

The Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office received the first 911 call reporting Clark’s minivan on fire at 6:04 a.m.

At the time of the fire, deputies also found a bag with cocaine inside in Clark’s pocket. He was also charged with possession of a cocaine.

Clark had been arrested in Hillsborough County on Sept. 30 on an aggravated assault charge after he put a knife near Kelley’s neck and threatened to kill her and himself, according to the sheriff’s office.

Clark remains in custody at the Orient Road Jail in Tampa without bond.

This story was originally published November 2, 2017 at 12:52 PM with the headline "He killed his girlfriend, then tried to cover it up by burning his van on I-75, cops say."